Chapter 336: The Collapse of Invincibility! Torn Perfection and a Gentle Oath
The ultimate collision, powerful enough to destroy heaven and earth, finally began to subside amidst the rumbling.
The entire plaza was now unrecognizable, the violent discharge of energy having forcibly destroyed the area, turning it into what looked like a bottomless, massive meteorite crater.
The aftershocks of the space distortion had not yet fully dissipated, and the surrounding air remained searing and bone-chilling.
The thick smoke gradually thinned under the sea breeze, and from the deathly silent ruins, a crisp sound of shattering suddenly rang out.
"Crack... Crack..."
Katakuri's right arm, which had been transformed into a giant spear wrapped in the ultimate Haki, finally let out a mournful cry of being overburdened under the absolute strangulation of Victor's black blade and Amaterasu's black flames.
Accompanied by a dense network of cracks, the massive spiral lance shattered inch by inch.
Finally losing its power source, it turned into countless charred mochi crumbs, drifting in the wind like black snowflakes over the devastated battlefield.
At the center of that massive crater.
Katakuri's tall, upright frame was now covered in terrifying lacerations deep enough to see bone.
Victor, relying on the unreasonable "Futsu-no-Mitama," had not only sliced through his strongest defense,
but had also delivered a destructive force that almost completely destroyed all signs of life within his body.
Scalding blood poured continuously from the hideous wounds, dripping onto the charred rocks and staining the earth beneath his feet a jarring dark red.
He gasped heavily for air; his stamina and Haki were like a dried-up well, unable to squeeze out even a single drop of strength.
This impeccable masterpiece of the Big Mom Pirates, this invincible man who had never once lain down in any battle and had always looked down on his enemies with a lofty, perfect posture.
At this moment, his legs finally began to shake uncontrollably and violently.
"Have I... reached the limit..."
With an almost inaudible, raspy murmur, the heartstrings Katakuri had kept taut finally snapped.
As if the last bit of strength supporting his body had been drained away, he could no longer sustain his broken frame.
That tall body, which resembled a towering fortress, fell straight backward.
Thud—!
Accompanied by a dull sound of impact.
Katakuri's broad back slammed heavily and tangibly against the rubble and stones.
His breathing grew weaker and weaker, and his vision gradually blurred, as if covered by a thick layer of mist.
The howling wind on the battlefield, the crashing waves in the distance, and the pungent smell of gunpowder all began to fade from his perception, peeling away from his senses like a receding tide...
His consciousness slowly sank, falling all the way into the deepest sea of memories.
There, the images he had deliberately forgotten began to grow clear.
It was Totto Land from a long time ago.
The sky over Totto Land was always sunny, and the colorful candy buildings glistened with an inviting luster under the sun, while the air was thick with a cloying sweetness.
A young Katakuri was hiding in a corner, unreservedly devouring his favorite donuts in large mouthfuls.
He wasn't wearing that heavy scarf, and he defenselessly revealed that terrifying mouth with fangs like a giant moray eel.
His mouth was covered in powdered sugar as he ate with great relish.
However, this simple joy was quickly shattered.
The unconcealed voices of horror and mockery from his peers and even adults came from the surroundings:
"Look! A monster!"
"Stay away from him! Look at his mouth, it's really disgusting!"
"How can someone look like that? He's a total freak!"
Those words, as sharp as knives, sounded particularly piercing under the sunlight.
But at that time, there was no gloom or self-deprecation in Katakuri's eyes, only the unyielding arrogance of a supreme genius.
He didn't care to explain himself to others, didn't care to hide his true self, and couldn't be bothered with the boring ridicule of the weak.
Facing those who courted death by coming close to provoke him or throw stones, he didn't even need to use the Devil Fruit ability he had recently consumed.
He simply stood up, clenched his small fists, and relied on his innate, terrifying monstrous strength to beat those bullies who dared mock him until they were bloodied, lost their teeth, and knelt on the ground crying for their parents and begging for mercy.
"The weak don't even have the right to mock me."
This was the only truth and creed the young Katakuri believed in as he brushed the dust off his hands.
He thought that as long as his fists were hard enough, he could be himself without restraint.
However, the memory took a sharp turn, arriving at the most painful scene of his life.
Those despicable bullies who had been severely disciplined by him yet were powerless to take revenge on the "monster" himself, turned their venomous gazes toward his young sister in their fear and humiliation.
That was the nightmare he could never escape for the rest of his life.
A cold rain began to fall.
The young Brulee lay on the muddy ground, her face covered in blood.
She clutched her face, letting out heart-wrenching wails.
On that originally innocent and lovely face, someone had cruelly carved a scar deep enough to see bone with a knife; it was a bloody, shocking mess.
"Brother... it hurts... Brulee hurts so much..."
Looking at his sister wailing in pain and sobbing incessantly on the hospital bed, a massive wave of guilt and piercing agony, like ten thousand ants biting his heart, almost completely consumed Katakuri.
Standing outside the hospital room door, he clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.
In that moment, he finally reached a painful realization.
In this cruel world of pirates, his unreserved "unruliness" and incomplete "arrogance" had not brought true freedom.
It was like a double-edged sword that would only bring total disaster to the family he cherished most.
He hadn't been cold enough back then; he hadn't pulled those hidden threats out by the roots.
He had been too conceited and failed to protect his sister meticulously, allowing Brulee to suffer this cruel, unmerited disaster in his place.
As the images shifted, Katakuri stood quietly before a tall mirror.
Reflected in the mirror was that tear-stained face and that terrifying, split mouth.
On that day, the innocence and wildness of childhood in his eyes died completely.
He slowly picked up that heavy black scarf, wrapping it once, and then again.
He wound the scarf around his neck, pulling it high to cover the lower half of his face.
He sealed away that split mouth that would invite endless ridicule and trouble, his fanatical love for donuts, and the weak emotions deep within his heart, all beneath this heavy scarf.
From that day on, the carefree boy who loved to lie on the ground and eat donuts without restraint was gone.
In his place was the "masterpiece" of the Big Mom Pirates—forever cold and ruthless, forever powerful and undefeated, forever showing not a single flaw.
As long as he remained that perfect monster of a brother who inspired despair and terror.
As long as he remained so powerful that people didn't even dare to have the thought of resisting.
Then no one would ever dare to lay a hand on his younger brothers and sisters again.
He buried all his tenderness deep in the softest corner of his heart, using that impeccable mask of invincibility to hold up the upright spine of the entire Charlotte Family.
...
The revolving lantern of memories slowly dissipated like reflections in water, and the sensations of reality surged back into his heart.
Katakuri lay quietly on the broken earth, feeling the unprecedented cold sensation coming from his back.
He slightly opened his eyes, watching the dust fluttering down from the sky and the dim sky obscured by smoke.
At this moment, there was no fear of death in his eyes, nor any resentment at falling from the altar of the undefeated.
On the contrary, deep within those eyes that were about to lose their luster, a rare flash of relief and ease appeared.
"So... this is what it feels like to lie down."
He thought silently in his heart.
He was too tired.
Over the years, burdened by the heavy shackles of "perfection" and "invincibility," never daring to relax for a single moment, his soul had long since become exhausted.
Now, this heavy burden could finally be set down.
He slightly opened his blood-stained lips to the breeze filled with the scent of gunpowder.
"Sorry... Mama... Brulee..."
"This time, your brother... really can't get back up..."
He saw the smiling faces of his siblings, Mama's terrifying silhouette, and Brulee standing before a mirror, using her ability to reflect the appearance of another world.
That sister he had protected behind his back since they were young still had that scar on her face, yet she had never resented anyone for it.
She always said with a smile: "Brother, you are the gentlest person in the world."
Gentle, huh.
The corners of Katakuri's mouth moved; he seemed to want to smile, or perhaps say something.
He had hidden this tenderness for too long, hidden it until even he had almost forgotten it.
Those times spent alone in the donut room late at night, those brief moments of respite after taking off his scarf.
He had never spoken of it to anyone, nor did he ever intend for anyone to know.
Because a true guardian doesn't need to explain himself.
As long as they were safe, as long as the family stood tall, this lonely persistence had meaning.
His consciousness grew more and more blurred.
The sounds all around him vanished completely, and even the pain became distant.
In a daze, he seemed to see his younger self standing not far away—without a scarf, revealing that terrifying mouth, devouring a donut and grinning at him.
That boy said, "Hey, you've done enough. Rest now."
Katakuri's lips curled up as he slowly closed his eyes.
"You guys... you have to become... even stronger..."Chapter 337: The Fall of the sweet commander! A Pirate's Resolve and a Funeral in the Rain
Victor's expression was calm.
He walked step by step to where Katakuri had fallen.
He looked down at the strongest sweet commander, who had lost the ability to fight, and slowly raised his right hand.
Shusui, wreathed in deep black flames, emitted a low hum, its cold blade hovering slowly over the defeated man's broad chest.
With just a few inches of downward pressure, he could easily pierce this once-impenetrable body.
However, Victor did not strike the killing blow immediately; his gaze rested quietly on the man on the ground.
"To just kill you like this would be letting Charlotte Linlin off too easily."
"As the flawless masterpiece of the Big Mom Pirates, your life is worth quite a lot."
"If I use you as a bargaining chip, I'm sure that old woman would be willing to pay a heavy price."
"After all, I hear that you in Totto Land possess a road poneglyph?"
Accompanied by the intense, tearing pain throughout his body, the dying Katakuri struggled to open his bloodshot eyes.
Victor's cold and ruthless declaration rang clearly in his ears.
For Katakuri, having chosen to step onto this path of blood and slaughter as a pirate, defeat and death were simply his fated destiny.
If he died on the battlefield because he was outmatched, he could accept this end calmly and with equanimity.
But all his life, he had been doing his utmost to protect his younger siblings, maintaining that image of a "flawless" monster.
And now, the man before him was actually attempting to capture him alive, using him as a bargaining chip to threaten the family he cherished most!
This felt like a supreme humiliation; it was a trampling of his soul and his bottom line!
From Katakuri's previously dim eyes, a terrifying rage and murderous intent, like that of a trapped beast, instantly erupted.
"Unforgivable..."
He gritted his teeth tightly, suddenly raised his heavy left hand, and grabbed the thick scarf around his neck that he had used to hide his face for half his life.
With a violent tearing sound, he gave a hard yank, unhesitatingly revealing the terrifying, jagged maw filled with sharp fangs.
"Heh... Hahahaha!"
Katakuri threw his head back and let out a raspy laugh.
"What kind of joke are you making, Crimson Lotus..."
He gasped for air, his gaze locked firmly on Victor above him.
"In a man's life-or-death duel, there is no need for such hypocritical mercy!"
Before the words had even faded, Katakuri made the most resolute choice of his life.
He burned the very last spark of his life and will.
He widened his eyes, and his abdominal muscles erupted with a chilling, final burst of strength.
His battered, towering body miraculously surged forward, like a lone wolf defending its territory, proactively meeting Victor's sharp black blade suspended in the air, launching the final and most uncompromising charge of his life.
Squelch—!
The sound of the sharp blade entering flesh rang out clearly in the ruins.
The sharp Shusui pierced accurately and without resistance through Katakuri's heart, the cold blade protruding directly from his back.
Warm blood, like a gushing spring, poured out along the black grooves of the blade, then dripped one by one onto the charred rubble below, blooming into enchanting flowers of blood.
The agony of having his heart pierced was enough to drive a person mad, but on Katakuri's blood-covered face, there was not a single scream.
He abruptly raised his hands and gripped Victor's arm tightly.
Katakuri's crimson eyes erupted with an unprecedented, bright light.
In that instant, his limit-breaking Observation Haki seemed to truly transcend the dimensions of time, glimpsing some trajectory of fate in the distant future.
"Crimson Lotus! I have seen it!"
"Sooner or later... you will experience the same failure as I have!"
Katakuri's voice was raspy and crazed, carrying the certainty of a dying prophecy.
The corners of his mouth curled into an arc; that terrifying, jagged maw now displayed a tragic dignity.
The man who had defeated him would eventually fall just as he had.
With this final roar, the light in Katakuri's eyes rapidly dimmed, and the flame of his life was extinguished completely.
His hands, which had been gripping Victor's arm, gradually lost their strength, eventually falling limply and landing heavily on the rubble beside him.
This masterpiece of the Big Mom Pirates, who had spent his entire life protecting his family, ended his life in the most heroic manner.
Until the very last moment, this man had not shown a shred of disgrace.
In his own way, he had chosen his own death.
Not living in humiliation, but dying upright and honorably under the blade as a pirate.
Victor stood where he was, letting Katakuri's blood stain his sleeves.
He looked at the lifeless, towering body before him and remained silent for a long time.
A moment later, Victor slowly withdrew Shusui from the other man's chest.
Accompanied by a chilling hum of the blade.
He flipped his wrist, casually flicking the crimson blood off the blade in mid-air, and then, with a clang, sheathed the black blade back into the scabbard at his waist.
Looking at the corpse on the ground that was gradually growing cold, Victor's eyes were as calm as water:
"Failure, huh..."
"I am a pirate. From the moment I stepped onto this ocean, I had to have the resolve that I could die at any moment."
This statement was both a response to Katakuri's choice and the creed he himself lived by.
Life and death, success and failure—they were all an unavoidable part of the pirate's path.
As this earth-shaking battle between gods finally came to an end, the weather over Dressrosa began to undergo a drastic change.
The sky, which had been relatively clear, turned gloomy at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Dark, leaden clouds rolled in from nowhere, completely blocking the warm sunlight and plunging the entire island into gloom and oppression.
"Pitter... patter..."
Before long, scattered raindrops fell from the gloomy clouds.
The raindrops struck the charred, dilapidated ruins, kicking up clouds of dust.
Right in this solemn curtain of rain, a crisp, mechanical prompt sounded deep within Victor's mind for the first time in a long while:
"[Ding! Detected that the host has successfully killed the top officer of the Four Emperors, Big Mom Pirates, and the leader of the sweet commanders, Charlotte Katakuri.]"
"[World line altered; rewards are being calculated...]"
Listening to the system prompt echoing in his mind, and feeling the cold rain that was gradually becoming a downpour.
Victor exhaled a breath of stale air.
He lowered his head, looking at the man enveloped by the rain.
"Charlotte Katakuri."
Victor murmured the name, as if providing a final footnote for an era.
He shook his head, stepped forward, and reached out to grab the collar of Katakuri's heavy remains.
Amidst the raging wind and rain, Victor took a step, leaving a long trail on the muddy ruins.
The gloomy rain blurred his back, leaving only a complaint in the air tinged with a bit of helplessness:
"What a hassle. I'd better find a place to bury him."
The rain drowned out his voice, as well as all the noise and smoke on this battlefield.
Leaving only one pirate to bury another."Chapter 338: New Eye Technique "Omoikane"! The Hegemon's Miscalculation and the Collapsing Factory
A gloomy and oppressive curtain of rain shrouded Dressrosa boundlessly.
Cold raindrops formed a water curtain, mercilessly washing over this riddled island.
Victor dragged Katakuri's heavy and tall remains, stopping at a remote edge far from the town's hustle and bustle.
This was a desolate stone forest; besides the howling sea wind and the sound of rain, there was no other noise.
Victor calmly unsheathed Shusui and swung it downward casually.
A sharp, invisible sword qi instantly plunged into the hard rock layer, and with a muffled boom, a neat deep pit was slashed into the earth.
He placed the remains steadily into the deep pit, then with a slight movement of his fingertips, the surrounding rubble and soil rolled down to cover it.
"Let's just make do with this."
Victor patted the dust off his hands, letting the cold rain slide down his cheeks.
Since he was a hero who shook the seas during his lifetime, having a place to rest after death could be considered decent.
After handling all this, Victor stood in the rain, closed his eyes, and completely submerged his consciousness into the depths of his mind.
"Beginning to issue high-level rewards..."
That crisp and emotionless system prompt echoed in the void of his consciousness.
[Ding! Successfully stripped the target's core ability concept: Top-tier Observation Haki · Future Sight]
[Integrating origin with the host's [Mangekyo Sharingan]...]
As the prompt ended, a warm and mysterious surge of massive energy poured frantically into Victor's eyes along the paths of his soul.
This energy contained insights into the flow of time and the prediction of all things' trajectories.
The Mangekyo Sharingan in Victor's eye sockets was strongly stimulated by this "Future Sight" concept, instantly creating a wonderful resonance.
He only felt an indescribable warmth and swelling pain coming from his eyes.
Victor slowly opened his eyes; in the dim curtain of rain, the crimson pupils in his eye sockets emitted a heart-palpitating, eerie glow.
The originally complex and dense Mangekyo pattern began to rotate, deconstruct, and reorganize rapidly.
Finally, it settled into a deeper, brand-new pattern.
The system prompt rang out again at the right time:
[Integration complete! The Mangekyo Sharingan has evolved a new exclusive eye technique — [Omoikane]!]
[Deconstructs the flow of time, allowing for brief time pauses and Future Sight.]
[Warning: Host, please note that this eye technique involves high-dimensional law interference. Depending on the degree of effect, the consumption of stamina and Chakra will increase geometrically.]
[If the degree of interference is too great, it will directly consume the host's life force as a price.]
After listening to the system's detailed explanation, Victor slowly raised his right hand and gently touched his eye socket.
Feeling the terrifying power in his eyes that was enough to overturn common sense, the curve of his lips gradually widened in the rain, revealing a satisfied smile:
"Pausing time and predicting the future... truly a perfect trophy."
With these eyes, he would have an absolute trump card on this treacherous sea.
...
The central plaza of Dressrosa.
The heavy rain was still raging.
In the sky, a pink figure was stepping on invisible thin lines connected to the clouds, traversing at high speed through the storm.
Doflamingo held Law, who had long since lost consciousness, in one hand.
Following the source of the earth-shattering explosion just now, he came straight to the sky above this plaza.
However, when he descended from mid-air and saw the scene before him, his eyes under the sunglasses couldn't help but narrow slightly.
What entered his sight? Where was there any trace of the central plaza?
The ground ahead looked as if it had been hit head-on by a super meteorite falling from the sky, leaving a bottomless, massive crater.
All the sturdy buildings around had been completely leveled in the aftermath of that terrifying collision, turned into charred powder all over the ground.
In the air, there were even a few wisps of eerie black flames that even the rainstorm couldn't extinguish, along with a burnt smell.
Other than that, there was nothing in these ruins.
That fierce battle had clearly ended.
Doflamingo stood at the edge of the crater, letting the rain soak his flamboyant pink feather coat.
Through his red sunglasses, he scanned the world-destroying range of destruction in the rain with a grave expression, his brow furrowed tightly.
To be able to destroy a sturdy urban area into such a miserable state in this short time, affecting such a large range, was absolutely impossible for the top executives under his command to achieve.
Diamante was dead, and the strength of Trebol and Pica could not reach such a horrifying level.
So, it seemed only one truth remained.
A deduction he considered most reasonable quickly flashed through Doflamingo's mind:
The one who could cause this level of destruction must be a top-tier monster sent by the Four Emperors Big Mom as support!
And looking at the intensity of this battle, Big Mom's reinforcements must have already engaged in a head-on death match with the Straw Hat Pirates.
"It seems the battle has been decided."
Having figured out this "point," Doflamingo's furrowed brow instantly smoothed out.
He tilted his head back, and a haughty smile immediately curled his lips.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! You've arrived just in time, monsters of the Charlotte Family."
Standing in the rain, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Since this powerful "ally" had already acted for him and cleanly swept away the Straw Hat crew, the biggest obstacle.
Then the current situation for him, the underground king, was simply perfect to the extreme.
Without wasting a single soldier of his own family, he had used a borrowed knife to solve his heart's trouble.
Doflamingo looked down, his gaze falling on Law, who had only a faint breath left in his hand.
He stuck out his tongue and licked the rainwater from the corner of his mouth, his lips curling cruelly:
"The stage is set."
"Since you want to see me fall from my throne so badly, I'll show some mercy and let you die more spectacularly, Law."
A perfect overt plot took shape in his heart.
He would tie Law, the traitor of the family, to the highest point of the palace and execute him personally in front of all the subjects of the nation.
He knew well the hopelessly stupid sense of companionship the Straw Hat kid had.
This public execution would be enough to force any remaining Straw Hat members to rush to the palace to seek their deaths like moths to a flame.
Then, he would only need to sit high on his throne and use the hands of those Big Mom Pirates monsters lurking in the shadows to completely wipe out these little mice!
"Damn Crimson Lotus, killing my Diamante..."
"I will make you, and your companions, pay a heavy price!"
Doflamingo growled through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing with the fierce light of revenge.
Having made up his mind, Doflamingo did not stay any longer.
Transparent thin lines shot from his fingertips, and carrying Law, he quickly returned to the highest point of the towering Dressrosa Palace like a pink night owl.
As soon as he landed, Doflamingo threw Law heavily onto the cold marble floor.
He strode into the main hall and quickly issued orders to his subordinates, who were full of awe:
"Immediately pass on my orders!"
"Issue a top-level summons to all family executives scattered outside!"
"Have them immediately abandon all current tasks, whether it's clearing out small fry or gathering intelligence, stop everything!"
"Everyone, assemble in the palace hall immediately!"
The guards were so frightened by this murderous aura that they trembled, quickly kneeling on one knee to take the order, and then scrambled to convey it.
In the interval while waiting for the family executives to assemble, Doflamingo sat back on his wide sofa.
He reached into his coat and pulled out his exclusive encrypted Den Den Mushi.
Although he believed the overall situation was settled, his cautious nature led him to call the top executive in charge of guarding the underground SMILE Factory, Trebol, to confirm the factory's safety one last time.
After all, that was the lifeblood that maintained the operation of his underground dark empire.
"Bulu bulu... bulu bulu..."
The Den Den Mushi made a rhythmic calling sound.
"Kacha!"
The call was quickly connected.
However, before Doflamingo could ask, what came from the other end was not Trebol's greeting.
Instead, it was a burst of deafening fighting sounds and the massive roar of buildings collapsing.
"What's going on?!" Doflamingo's expression changed abruptly, and he leaned forward slightly.
Then, the Den Den Mushi vividly mimicked Trebol's face, which was covered in mucus.
Trebol's signature slimy scream came from inside:
"Doffy! This is bad! Something big has happened!
"Our factory... our factory is under attack!"
"Come quickly..."
"BOOM—!!!"
Before Trebol's terrified cry for help could finish, a violent explosion loud enough to burst eardrums suddenly came from the other end.
Amidst the violent explosion, a distorted scream from Trebol was heard.
Then, the Den Den Mushi's eyes suddenly turned white, it let out a weak wail, and hung up with a "clack."
Doflamingo sat on the sofa, his hand holding the Den Den Mushi frozen in mid-air.
An uncontrollable rage rushed straight to his brain.
The veins on his forehead and temples twisted and writhed frantically like thick earthworms.
"Damn it!!!"
Doflamingo suddenly crushed the remains of the Den Den Mushi in his hand, letting out a roar of fury.
The factory being attacked meant that the Straw Hat crew had not only not been wiped out by Big Mom's people, but had instead sneakily reached his home base!
Doflamingo stood up abruptly.
His eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed the dying Law from the ground and strode toward the terrace with the most open view of the palace.
"What are you still standing there for!"
"Prepare the Visual Transponder Snail for me! Immediately!!"
"I want them to watch how this mouse dies!!!""
339: The Great Hero Uso-land! The Straw Hat Gathering
In the streets surrounding the Corrida Colosseum, due to the sudden series of accidents, it had completely turned into a boiling pot of chaos.
Everywhere there were civilians running and screaming, Marines conducting searches, and Underworld thugs taking advantage of the chaos to rob people.
In a complex and secluded alley, a team with a peculiar style was moving quickly under the cover of shadows.
Usopp, Chopper, Brook, Franky, and Zoro were leading the one-legged toy soldier Kyros, along with the vast and high-spirited Tontatta Tribe rebel army behind them, advancing cautiously through the maze-like alleys.
After a series of thrilling twists and turns through the exploration.
A moment later, they finally successfully met up with Sanji, Nami, and Robin, who were looking for their companions, behind a hidden abandoned courtyard.
"Everyone is here!"
"Great, we finally found you!"
Everyone looked at each other and smiled. After a brief greeting, the members of the Straw Hat Pirates had finally successfully assembled in Dressrosa!
After the brief joy, everyone quickly found a hidden spot that wouldn't be easily discovered by patrols, squatted down, and began to discuss their next move.
Chopper poked out his furry little head, looking at the chaotic streets outside.
He waved his little hooves and suggested with confidence:
"Since everyone has arrived safely now, let's go find Luffy and Victor first!"
"As long as we can regroup with the Captain and Vice Captain..."
"If the whole crew is together, there's nothing to be afraid of!"
In Chopper's view, as long as those two monster-level combatants were there, no matter how terrifying the enemy, the Straw Hat crew could turn any misfortune into a blessing.
However, hearing Chopper's suggestion, Nami, who was squatting nearby, shook her head with a look of helplessness.
She let out a long sigh and explained to everyone:
"It's no use. We, who arrived a step earlier, already took advantage of the chaos to search the area around the colosseum carefully."
"After asking around a bit, we learned that Luffy accidentally exposed his identity during the battle royale on the stage."
"He then disappeared while being chased by the Marine and his fans."
Nami paused and continued: "Not only that, even Victor has completely vanished. We can't find where he is at all."
Hearing this bad news, the air in the courtyard seemed to freeze instantly.
They had lost their two strongest pillars, and what they had to face next was the powerful Donquixote Family, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
In the heart of this enemy country filled with strange toys and dark secrets, the atmosphere of the group, which had been high-spirited due to the reunion, involuntarily became a bit dejected.
Seeing his companions with furrowed brows, Usopp, who was hiding at the back of the crowd, suddenly stood up.
He took a deep breath and suddenly opened his mouth, letting out a deafening roar:
"Don't all look so downcast!"
"At a time like this, everyone get your spirits up for the Great Hero Uso-land!!!"
This sudden slogan instantly ignited the dedicated hype squad nearby.
Chopper and Brook, who were still a bit depressed, seemed to be injected with some kind of magical power the moment they heard that name.
They immediately followed Usopp, raising their hands high, jumping and skipping excitedly on the spot, and shouting:
"Oh oh oh! My spirits are up! For the great hero Uso-land!"
"Yo-ho-ho-ho! Long live the Great Hero Uso-land!"
Looking at these three idiots who had somehow gotten fired up.
Nami, Sanji, and Robin, who knew nothing about the situation in the underground world, looked at each other with faces full of confusion.
"Uso... land?"
Sanji exhaled a puff of smoke and repeated the ridiculous name, completely baffled.
Robin tilted her head slightly and let out a soft laugh, seemingly finding this novel title quite interesting.
Zoro and Franky, who were standing to the side and already knew that this guy had been blowing his own horn to the heavens in the underground world, turned away in unison.
With speechless faces, the two covered their faces with their hands, simply unable to look at this boastful liar.
Usopp completely ignored the contemptuous glares from Zoro and the others.
He stepped onto a high piece of rubble, hands on his hips, his red cape flapping in the wind, as he proudly announced to everyone:
"Listen up! Since those two guys who only know how to cause trouble aren't here!"
"Then, from now on, I, Uso-land, am the acting Captain!"
"All actions of this team are under my, Uso-land's, absolute command!"
"Don't be afraid, everyone. I will personally lead you to completely destroy that evil underground factory!"
"Uso-land! Uso-land! Uso-land!"
Hearing the heroic speech of this "Great Hero."
The eyes of the naive and simple Tontatta warriors immediately lit up with excitement.
They fanatically waved their mini spears and weapons, cheering the name of the god in their hearts with all their might, the sound waves rising higher and higher.
Just as Usopp was basking in the spotlight of the cheers and preparing to continue boasting about his non-existent great achievements.
Nami's delicate face had completely darkened.
She expressionlessly strode forward with her long legs.
Nami transformed into a furious lioness and mercilessly slammed down on the three idiots who were still dancing around.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three consecutive, perfectly accurate iron fists of rage.
"What on earth are you three idiots doing at a critical time like this!"
Nami revealed terrifying shark teeth and roared crazily at the three fallen figures.
Usopp, who was just acting all mighty, along with his dedicated hype-men Chopper and Brook, each had a huge steaming lump on their heads, eyes rolled back, as they collapsed onto the ground in a row.
This scene struck hard at the hearts of the cheering Tontatta people nearby.
The simple little sprites' eyes widened instantly, and they clutched their little heads in terror, letting out desperate cries of collapsed faith:
"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"
"The Great Hero with god-like power... and his two loyal and powerful guards..."
"Were actually all defeated in one move by a human woman!"
However, while this absurd farce was playing out.
The huge commotion and thunderous cheers caused by Usopp's group, during this sensitive period of city-wide martial law, finally inevitably attracted trouble.
A series of messy and heavy footsteps came from outside the courtyard.
A team of Donquixote Family guards stationed around the colosseum, responsible for patrolling, was attracted by the noise here.
"Bang!"
The broken wooden gate of the courtyard was kicked open with a bang.
A team of fully armed family mobsters rushed into the ruins with fierce expressions.
When they saw the people in the courtyard, they were stunned for a moment.
Then they immediately raised their flintlocks and blades alertly, the dark muzzles pointing straight at the Straw Hat crew:
"Hey! What are you guys doing hiding here secretly instead of being on the street! Are you plotting some rebellion!"
Looking at the enemies surging up like a tide, Zoro showed no panic or fear.
He reached out and pressed down on the three famous swords at his waist, silently taking a step forward.
Under everyone's gaze, he gave a light push with his thumb.
The snow-white blade flashed a cold, grim glint in the dim light.
Zoro lowered his head slightly, the corners of his mouth slowly curling up:
"It seems this makes things more convenient, saving the trouble of searching around."
"The location of that factory... is right underneath this colosseum, isn't it?"
The words had just fallen when there was a soft "click."
Sanji elegantly took a lighter out of his pocket and lit the cigarette dangling from his mouth.
He took a deep drag, slowly exhaled a lingering smoke ring, and then walked with steady steps to a position side-by-side with Zoro.
Through the pale blue smoke, Sanji's single exposed eye glinted with sharp killing intent.
He stared at the enemies in front and said calmly:
"Keep up with my pace, Marimo."
Hearing this provocative remark, Zoro turned his head in annoyance.
He let out a disdainful snort.
Then, his muscles tensed instantly, like a tiger ready to pounce:
"Ha? What kind of boring joke are you making, Curly-brow?"
"The one who needs to keep up should be you!"Chapter 340: The Straw Hat vs. All Gladiators, The Greatest Battle Royale in History!
Inside the Corrida Colosseum.
Following the accidental exposure of Luffy's identity and his escape during the chaos, the Corrida Colosseum experienced a brief but intense disturbance.
With the forceful intervention and dispersal by heavily armed guards, the boiling spectator stands barely managed to restore order.
Accompanied by the passionate broadcast voice of the announcer, Gaz, echoing over the arena.
The final group of the colosseum—the D Block battle royale—finally officially began.
Rebecca, the former princess of Dressrosa, now known as the Phantom Gladiator.
Clad in an exceptionally thin golden bikini armor and carrying a shield on her back, she walked slowly with heavy steps onto the dilapidated ring.
However, what awaited this young girl was not the cheers and applause she might have hoped for.
Countless spectators in the stands held deep resentment toward the former king (King Riku), whom the Donquixote Family had deliberately smeared.
This resentment, accumulated over ten years, was now poured entirely onto Rebecca, who carried the bloodline of the Riku royal family.
Overwhelming ridicule, insults, and vicious curses rained down like a storm, filling the entire colosseum:
"Get out! The sinful bloodline of the Riku royal family!"
"Shameless traitor, someone like you should just die on the ring!"
Listening to these insults, which pierced her ears like sharp knives, Rebecca stood isolated and helpless in the center of the wide ring.
Surrounded by fierce and menacing gladiators.
Facing this devastated world, she could only grit her teeth, holding back the tears welling up in her eyes, and grip her blunt sword tightly, preparing to face this brutal battle.
Just at the moment the gong for the D Block match was about to sound!
"Screech—!"
A piercing, terrifying sound of metal and rock tearing apart suddenly came from the incredibly sturdy, towering outer wall of the colosseum!
Boom—!!!
A crescent-like green sword aura appeared out of thin air, carrying destructive power that swept away everything, directly cleaving a huge gap through the thick and hard stone wall of the colosseum!
Amidst the shocked gasps of tens of thousands of spectators, who looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Debris splashed everywhere, and the rolling dust slowly dissipated in the sea breeze.
Sunlight poured in through the huge gap.
Zoro stood holding the snow-white wado ichimonji, standing side by side with Sanji, who had a cigarette in his mouth and his hands in his pockets.
Led by these two mainstays of the Straw Hat Pirates, the Straw Hat crew and the massive force of Tontatta Tribe warriors stepped over the collapsed ruins, treading through the dust, and stormed into the center of the colosseum with overwhelming dominance!
Kyros, the one-legged soldier sitting on Franky's broad steel shoulders, immediately locked his painted toy eyes onto the thin figure on the ring, trembling slightly in the face of universal condemnation, the moment he entered the arena.
That was his most cherished daughter.
As a father, Kyros's heart trembled violently, filled with intense emotion and agonizing pain.
But his damned toy body could not even step forward to give his daughter a warm hug.
It couldn't even shed a single tear of sadness or heartache.
He could only use all the strength in this toy body to let out a heart-wrenching shout toward the ring:
"Rebecca!!!"
Hearing this incredibly familiar voice, Rebecca on the ring gave a violent jolt.
The strength she had been forcing herself to maintain collapsed in that instant; the blunt sword in her hand slipped, and tears gushed out like a bursting flood:
"Soldier!"
Just at this deeply touching moment, a highly inappropriate, arrogant burst of laughter completely shattered the atmosphere.
Usopp laughed loudly and walked forward.
He very "cunningly" hid behind the two mainstays, Zoro and Sanji, only poking out half his body.
Raising a megaphone he had gotten from somewhere, he cleared his throat and roared at the tens of thousands of spectators and the murderous contestants:
"Everyone, listen up!"
"Your little game of house gladiatorial matches ends here!"
"The final winner of this gladiatorial tournament is us, the Straw Hat! That rubbing of the road poneglyph is also ours for the taking!"
Usopp lifted his head, flicked his cape, and provocatively challenged:
"If any blind fool hasn't had enough yet!"
"Then come and challenge us!! Ahahahahaha!"
Hearing this brazen and arrogant declaration, Sanji, who was standing in front, took a deep drag of his cigarette, his face covered in black lines.
Zoro even had veins popping on his forehead, his mouth twitching wildly.
The one who had just sliced through that thick wall with one strike was clearly him.
How did it feel now like all the glory had been stolen by this Long-nose, who was hiding behind and acting like a bully?
However, the Tontatta Tribe warriors following behind the group were completely impressed by this domineering declaration.
They waved their mini weapons frantically, their faces flushed with excitement, and cheered loudly:
"Oh oh oh! So cool! Long live King Uso-land!"
Usopp's broadcast instantly triggered a magnitude-ten earthquake in the spectator stands.
"W-what? They are the Straw Hat?!"
"That Straw Hat just exposed his identity, and now his crew has immediately stormed in! Did they receive a summons from their Captain?"
"My god! Even such a massive pirate crew with such staggering bounties has arrived in full force! This island is doomed!"
The spectator stands instantly erupted into chaos.
Those ordinary spectators who had been crazily insulting Rebecca and were very protective of their own lives, fearful of being dragged into a life-and-death battle between monsters of this level.
They screamed and shoved each other.
Rushing like a tide toward the various exits of the colosseum, the scene fell into complete disarray.
However, although the spectators retreated.
Usopp's declaration, which was arrogant to the extreme, completely enraged the top-tier powerhouses in the waiting area, who were already proud and haughty.
"Ha! What kind of crap is the Straw Hat Pirates!"
"The Drill" Piman clenched his fists, laughing in his rage.
"Since we can't find that coward Straw Hat right now."
"I will start with you guys, teach his crew a lesson, and make him pay the price!"
Standing on the other side, "White Horse" Cavendish was all smiles.
He drew the famous sword at his waist, his eyes flashing with a fanatical light for fame:
"What a godsend!"
"As long as I cut off the heads of everyone in the Straw Hat here in public, my name will immediately become famous throughout the sea!"
Seeing the situation spiraling completely out of control like a wild horse.
The announcer on the ring, Gaz, displayed amazing top-tier professional quality at this moment.
His mind raced; instead of choosing to run, he grabbed the microphone and roared at the entire arena with a fanatical voice, pushing the chaos to its climax:
"All you hot-blooded gladiators!"
"Since the world-famous Straw Hat has challenged us all."
"Then now, the rules of the match have changed!"
"No need to divide into ABCD blocks anymore!"
"Everyone, fight against the Straw Hat!"
"As long as you can defeat them, everyone can receive a major reward from the organizers!"
Gaz waved his hand, pointing to the center of the ring:
"Now! I announce!"
"The most shocking battle royale in the history of Dressrosa gladiatorial combat! Now, officially begins!"
Accompanied by Gaz's announcement that ignited the entire arena, the heavy iron doors of the waiting areas for each block were slammed open.
Hundreds of notorious powerhouses, pirates, assassins, and martial artists from the New World surged out from all directions with grim sneers and killing intent.
Seeing the dense crowd of hundreds of ferocious monsters staring fixedly at him.
Usopp, who had been holding the megaphone and acting arrogantly just a moment ago, was instantly terrified, his mouth hanging open.
"D-done for, I've angered the masses!"
His legs went weak, he hurriedly dropped the megaphone, and immediately shrank back to the very center of the group.
However, in stark contrast to Usopp's fear was the burning fighting spirit of the other members of the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Oh! SUPER—this has really fired things up!"
Franky slammed his arms together, producing a clanging sound of steel colliding, and excitedly struck his signature mechanical pose.
Robin stood to the side, looking at the wolf-like enemies surrounding them, and elegantly revealed a calm smile, crossing her hands in front of her chest, the power of the Hana Hana no Mi ready to be unleashed.
Nami took a deep breath, fearlessly gripping the magic clima-tact in her hand, her eyes full of fighting spirit.
Sanji, with a cold face, spat the half-burned cigarette butt from his mouth onto the ground and crushed it with the sole of his shoe.
Then, with his hands in his pockets, he slowly raised his Diable Jambe, which was erupting with terrifying heat.
Walking in the very front, Zoro slowly raised his hand, untied the green bandana that had been tied to his left arm, and calmly tied it around his head.
His one eye, sharp as a beast's, coldly surveyed the dark mass of enemies in front of him.
The corners of Zoro's mouth slowly curled up, revealing a wild smile filled with endless fighting spirit and bloodlust:
"Now... finally, I can have some real fun!"
Straw Hat! VS Gladiators All-Star Coalition!